Methods of Judicial Selection: Missouri

Judicial Nominating Commissions

Judges of the supreme court, court of appeals, and circuit courts in Jackson, Clay, Platte, and St. Louis Counties and in the city of St. Louis are appointed by the governor from a list of three names submitted by a nonpartisan judicial commission. The appellate judicial commission nominates candidates for the supreme court and court of appeals, and the appropriate circuit judicial commission nominates candidates for the circuit courts.

The appellate judicial commission consists of seven members: a supreme court justice chosen by the other justices, one lawyer selected from each of the three appellate districts by Missouri Bar members in that district, and one nonlawyer selected from each appellate district by the governor. Each circuit judicial commission is composed of five members: the chief judge of the court of appeals district in which the judicial circuit is located, two lawyers selected from the circuit by Missouri Bar members in that circuit, and two nonlawyers residing in the circuit appointed by the governor. Commission members serve six-year terms. Click here and here to view commission rules and here for the statute governing the commissions.